NASA/TM-2007-215132, Turpin, J.B., Conceptual Trade Study of General Purpose Heat Source Powered Stirling Converter Configurations, George C. Marshall Space Flight Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, AL 35812, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, DC 20546–0001, November 2007, pp. 40, Format(s): PDF 6094k |
This Technical Manual describes a parametric study of general purpose heat source (GPHS) powered
Stirling converter configurations. This study was performed in support of MSFC’s efforts to establish the
capability to perform non-nuclear system level testing and integration of radioisotope power systems. Six
different GPHS stack configurations at a total of three different power levels (80, 250, and 500 We) were
analyzed. The thermal profiles of the integrated GPHS modules (for each configuration) were calculated
to determine maximum temperatures for comparison to allowable material limits. Temperature profiles for
off-nominal power conditions were also assessed in order to better understand how power demands from
the Stirling engine impact the performance of a given configuration.
| Keywords: | general purpose heat source, stirling converter, stirling engine, radioisotope power systems (rps) |
|---|---|
| Subjects: | Astronautics: Spacecraft Propulsion And Power |
| ID Code: | 765 |
| Deposited On: | 07 January 2008 |